Improved paddle-wheel



UNITED STATES PATENT @Eier C. A. KIRKPATRICK, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,956, dated July 25, 1865.

.T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, C. A. KIRKPATRIGK, ot"v Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and Figure 1 represents a vertical section of thisi .invention transversely to the shaft, the line x,

a', Fig. 2, indicating the plane of section. Fig.

2 is a vertical section of the saine, taken in al .plane parallel to the shaft, as indicated by the line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation. Fig. 4 is a horizontal f loosely to their tenons, whereas the shortest of the reversing-gear. section of the same.

v Similar letters of reference indicate like:

the long cranks d connect with the outer ends parts.

This invention consists, first, in making thel buckets of a paddle-wheel each of a series ot'` movable shutters or slats, similar to an ordinary windoW-blind, in such a manner that said. slats can be turned edgewise as they descend in and rise out of the water, and to close up,

while passing through the water, in a position to offer a very extended working-surface to the water, in combination with a cam-slot and with a suitable crank, in such aAmanner that by the Aaction of each crank on said cam-slot all the vand with the cranks and slats composing the paddles, in such a manner that by changing the position ot' said gates the crankpins are automatically thrown from the inner to the outer section of the cam-slot, or vice versa, and the wheel is made reversible in a simple way; third, in the use of an automatic reversinggear, composed of a double ratchet,with corresponding pawls, gates, and double camslot, or other equivalent means, in such a manner that on reversing the motion ofthe wheel the gates are shifted automatically and the slats of the paddles are opened and closed at the proper points in Whatever direction the wheel may be turned.

A represents a paddle-wheel composed of a series of arms, which radiate from hubs B, and the outer ends of which are connected by rims U. The radiating arms form the bearings for the tenons a of the slats b, which compose the paddles or buckets D, said buckets being constructed similar to ordinary blinds, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. Each slat is provided with ears, which form the bearings for the pivots connecting the Slat-bars c to the slats, so that `by turning one slat of a set or bucket all the slats composing said set or bucket will be turned correspondingly. rIWoofthetenonsineachbucketextendthrough the arm which forms their bearings on the inside next to the vessel, and on these ends are mounted cranks d e, one of which is much longer than the other, the longest being secured are lirmly keyed thereto. Ilhe outer ends of of' the short cranks e by linksf, and said long cranks are provided ivith'wrist-pins that extend into a cam-slot, E. By the combination of cranks of different length the motion requisite to open and shut the slats is obtained, for by turning the wristpins of the long cranks through a comparatively short arc the short cranks are turned over an are of ninety degrees, or suticient to open and close the slats, as above stated.

The cam-slot-E is secured to the outside of the vessel by means ot' brackets g 9*, and it is so shaped that by its action on the wrist-pins ot' the cranks d the slats are closed as soon as they have entered the water and again opened on leaving the Water.

In order to render the Wheel capable to be reversed the cam -slot must be constructed with branches E* E* E2 EN, as clearly shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings. If the wheel rotates in the direction of the arrow marked near itin Fig. l, the wrist-pins of the cranks (Z travel through the branch E2* on one, and through the branch E* on the opposite, side ot' the camslot, and the slats close upafter they have debetween the branches E* Ef* E2 E. These partitions terminate at both ends in sharp points, and the gates move in and out in suitable slides, h h2, in such a position that when they are pushed out they close the communication between the main portion of the camslot and its outer or inner branches E* E'* E2, E. For instance, the gates e* e2 close the communication between the main channel of the cam-slot and its inner branches, E* E2, and the gates e* e2* close the communication between said main channel and the outer branches, E* E. Vhen the wheel revolves in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. 1, the gates e2 and e'* a-re pushed forward and the gates e2* e* arc drawn in. As the wrist-pins of the cranks d arrive in successive order at the gate e2 they are thrown from the main channel of the cam-slot into the branch E2* and the slats close, and as said wrist pins pass onto t-he gate e'* they are thrown from the main channel of the cam-slot into the inner branch, EN, and the slats of the buckets open. When the wheel turns in the opposite direction the gates e* and @ware closed or pushed out and the gates cf* e2 are opened or drawn in,'and the time when the slats close and open is changed accordingly.

The gates e* e* are operated by means of a vertical rock-shaft, t, situated on one side of the wheel, and the gates e2 e2* by a corresponding rock-shaft, i2, situated on the opposite side of said wheel. These rock-shafts have their bearings in suitable ears extending from the brackets g 9*, and the gates e* c"1F e2 e2* are situated on opposite sides of their respective shafts, and armsj*j*j2j2* extending from said rock-shafts pass into suitable holes in said gates, so that by turning the rock-shafts in one direction the gates e* e2* are pushed out and the gates c* e2 drawn in and by turning the shafts in the opposite direction the gates e'* e2 are pushed out and the gates e* e2* drawn in.

The mechanism for operating the gates and for turning the shafts is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. From the' rock-shafts t t2 extend arms lc k2 into suitable sockets in the outer ends of slides l Z2, which move in and out in mortises vin the side of the vessel, as shown in Fig. 4.

These slides are provided with an additional set of sockets near their inner ends to receive arms m m2, which extend from short vertical arbors n n2. These arbors have their bearings in suitable brackets, GG2, secured to the inner surface of the vessels side, and they receive a Vibrating motion by means of slides o o2, connccting with said shafts by arms p p2 extending from the inner sides thereof, as shown. The slides are connected to each otherby a rod,

o3, and they are operated by the action of ratch et-wheels r T on pawls q q2, which are hinged to the inner ends of the slides, and which engage with the teeth of said ratchet-wheels by their own inherent gravity. The teeth of the ratchet-Wheels are beveled in opposite directions, and said wheels are rmly keyed to the shaft of the paddle-wheel A. If this shaft rotates in the direction of the arrow markedon it in Fig. 3, the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 1' strike the pawl q, and b v pushing the slide o back in the direction of the arrow marked thereon in said figure, both shafts z' and i2 (the slides o o2 being connected as previously stated) are turned in such a direction that the gates e* e2* are pushed out and the gates 0'* e2 drawn in. At the same time a wedge, s, is pushed out over the pawl g, so as to hold the same down and prevent the gates e* e* e2 e2* from changing their position spontaneously, and a similar wedge, s2, over the pawl g2 is drawn back, allowing said pawl to rise to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The wedges s s2 are pivoted to slides t t2, to which a reciprocating motion is imparted by levers u u2, which turn on pivots c c2 passing through slots in the slides 0 02, and are connected by pivots a3 to ears projecting from the lower edges of the slides o ozin such a manner that the slides t t2 move in an opposite direction to the slides 0 o2. It' the motion of the paddle-whecl is reversed the teeth of the ratchet-wheel r2 catch against the pawl q2, the slides o o2 movefin the direction opposite the arrow marked thereon in Fig. 3, and the gates e* e* c2 e2* are reversed automatically.

The buckets are protected by diamondshaped cross-bars inserted between the two rims, close to the periphery of the Wheel. If desired, the slat can be rendered rigid by removing the crank d and securing the crank e to its arm.

l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Thecombination ofthe movable slats with the cam slot, when arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The adjustable gates applied in combination with the cam-slot and movable slats, in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. The combination ot the double ratchet, double cam,and movable gates, all constructed, arranged, and operating as herein described, to constitute an automatic reversinggear.

C. A. KIRKPATRICK.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, C. L. ToPLIFF. 

